This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Teachers - underpaid and overworked!

I'd love to be a techer (secondary, Geography... oo like Geogger :biggrin:

), but it's a shame there's so little money in it. Teachers are massively exploited! I love my teachers, they've made school fun and interesting, and I want to be one! :redface:

Up with teachers' pay! :p:

Reply 1

Dreama

13

Down with my teacher's pay!

Cancelling lessons, taking 10 weeks to mark an essay, persistent illness, bringing their ill toddlers to work, ignoring modules on the syllabus...

*Growls*

Bring back Ofsted! :smile:

Reply 2

!Laxy!

Ellie4

I'd love to be a techer (secondary, Geography... oo like Geogger :biggrin:

), but it's a shame there's so little money in it. Teachers are massively exploited! I love my teachers, they've made school fun and interesting, and I want to be one! :redface:

Up with teachers' pay! :p:

True but there are more options now. If you join the fast track scheme you get a starting salary of 20,067 with an increase of over 3,000 a year. By joining this scheme you are more likely to gain promotion. Plus 50,000 - 100,000+ for a headteacher ain't that bad! :smile:

Reply 3

Ellie4

OP

2

!Laxy!

True but there are more options now. If you join the fast track scheme you get a starting salary of 20,067 with an increase of over 3,000 a year. By joining this scheme you are more likely to gain promotion. Plus 50,000 - 100,000+ for a headteacher ain't that bad! :smile:

But those schemes tend to apply to subjects that are desperate for teachers (maths, science), and you get more if you work in London, which I wouldn't want to do!

Reply 4

!Laxy!

Ellie4

But those schemes tend to apply to subjects that are desperate for teachers (maths, science), and you get more if you work in London, which I wouldn't want to do!

The scheme is open to any subjects and yes you do get a bit more for working in London but it is offset by the extra you would pay in housing.

Reply 5

blissy

15

Ellie4

But those schemes tend to apply to subjects that are desperate for teachers (maths, science), and you get more if you work in London, which I wouldn't want to do!

My brother (an art graduate) did it, although it was in a nasty school where he still works. (25% of the school is permanently excluded each year!)

He likes it though.

Reply 6

Ellie4

OP

2

blissy

My brother (an art graduate) did it, although it was in a nasty school where he still works. (25% of the school is permanently excluded each year!)

He likes it though.

See, that's the other thing! I'd only want to teach students who wanted to learn!

Reply 7

The Colonel

13

Down with salaries, more holidays than any other job and finished by half three!

Reply 8

!Laxy!

The Colonel

Down with salaries, more holidays than any other job and finished by half three!

how little you know

Reply 9

!Laxy!

Ellie4

See, that's the other thing! I'd only want to teach students who wanted to learn!

You'd just have to be tough on them. *hands Ellie a cane*

Reply 10

Endymion

9

Teaching isn't a badly paid job at all. I was chatting to my cousin earlier in the week who is now 32 and been teaching for 7 years. He teachers secondary school biology and is also head of science. Currently he is on £32k a year in West London. In September he is moving to Suffolk to take on the same role and he will still be on £30k. Now this isn't bad at all for a graduate really. Of course, the stress, workload etc plays a factor in it, but doesn't every job. Also, it depends on where you teach too. There are pros and there are cons to teaching, but I definately think that the salary is a pro.

Reply 11

Howard

5

I think they're underworked and overpaid personally. 6 weeks summer vacation. 3 for Christmas (as if that's not enough they even have "shopping days" in some schools, 3 for easter, plus the "occasional days" plus plenty of "sick days" covered by temps etc.

On top of that the working day doesn't start until 9 and is finished by 3:30 with 45 mins for lunch, a couple of 15 min breaks, as well as "free periods"

Bunch of slackers IMO. A good days work would kill most of them. :biggrin:

Reply 12

Endymion

9

Howard

I think they're underworked and overpaid personally. 6 weeks summer vacation. 3 for Christmas (as if that's not enough they even have "shopping days" in some schools, 3 for easter, plus the "occasional days" plus plenty of "sick days" covered by temps etc.

On top of that the working day doesn't start until 9 and is finished by 3:30 with 45 mins for lunch, a couple of 15 min breaks, as well as "free periods"

Bunch of slackers IMO. A good days work would kill most of them. :biggrin:

Nice stereotypical post there. :rolleyes:

What about all the weeks planning teachers do? What about all the marking after lessons? As I said above my cousin is a teacher and he actually works a 6 day week, using most of Saturday to plan and mark work for the following week. I suggest you chat to a few teachers before you make such assumptions.

Reply 13

mankyscot2

1

Endymion

Nice stereotypical post there. :rolleyes:

What about all the weeks planning teachers do? What about all the marking after lessons? As I said above my cousin is a teacher and he actually works a 6 day week, using most of Saturday to plan and mark work for the following week. I suggest you chat to a few teachers before you make such assumptions.

Yeah my mum is a teacher and she has to do a hell of a lot of work.

She sits and does marking for hours every night after school and if its exam time, she rarely gets a minute to herself at weekends.

She spends alot of her october and easter holidays preparing exam questions, editing the syllabus and learning new modules (as she is a computing teacher new programs are being introduced all the time).

I think the pay is good but i think that teachers need to work for it.

Don't get me wrong, my mum is probably a good teacher and alot of others aren't but i really think my mum has worked hard to get her wage.

Reply 14

Mrs_F

15

Howard

I think they're underworked and overpaid personally. 6 weeks summer vacation. 3 for Christmas (as if that's not enough they even have "shopping days" in some schools, 3 for easter, plus the "occasional days" plus plenty of "sick days" covered by temps etc.

On top of that the working day doesn't start until 9 and is finished by 3:30 with 45 mins for lunch, a couple of 15 min breaks, as well as "free periods"

Bunch of slackers IMO. A good days work would kill most of them. :biggrin:

Hmmmm... I wish!!!

Reply 15

Aitch

2

It's unfortunately the case that everyone is an expert on teaching because they have had education inflicted on them for 10 years or so.

I've found that the memory tends to polarise the ex-pupil's perception of teachers who taught them. Most teachers tend to be remembered as inspiring or dire. The reality for most teachers is somewhere between. But these are forgotten.

I'm always amazed at how expert these ex-pupils are, having experienced teaching only from the consumer's end, in a classroom. Could they tell how hard their doctor works outside the 10 minutes they spend with him or her every few months? Or their accountant, bank manager, plumber?

If education has worked, then the individual who has not lived as a teacher, or with a teacher, should be able to listen to the question "Are teachers overpaid and overworked?" and reply "I don't know..."

...But that would be a very boring post!

Aitch

Reply 16

Howard

5

Endymion

Nice stereotypical post there. :rolleyes:

What about all the weeks planning teachers do? What about all the marking after lessons? As I said above my cousin is a teacher and he actually works a 6 day week, using most of Saturday to plan and mark work for the following week. I suggest you chat to a few teachers before you make such assumptions.

What do you mean planning? Surely the curriculum doesn't change that much. I should have thought that once a teacher has his/her materials together they could be used, with some modification, time and time again. If a teacher delivers a few classes on the Franco-Prussian war for GCSE history one year he could probably deliver it again the next with very few alterations.

Marking? Depends I suppose at what level one teaches. The marking for a 4th grader could be done watching TV.....not exactly that challenging.

Reply 17

Mrs_F

15

Howard

What do you mean planning? Surely the curriculum doesn't change that much. I should have thought that once a teacher has his/her materials together they could be used, with some modification, time and time again. If a teacher delivers a few classes on the Franco-Prussian war for GCSE history one year he could probably deliver it again the next with very few alterations.

Marking? Depends I suppose at what level one teaches. The marking for a 4th grader could be done watching TV.....not exactly that challenging.

Have you ever spent any time in a classroom as a teacher rather than as a pupil? I am guessing that you haven't otherwise you wouldn't be making such assumptions about teachers. I am due to start a PGCE in September, and over the past 3 years of my degree I have spent a considerable amount of time in the classroom as a teacher. Although I thoroughly enjoyed myself, at the end of the day I was worn out - and I only worked 9 til 3, and had an 2 hours worth of breaks! The teacher I worked with however (reception class), was in the school by half past 7 on a morning and often stayed until 6 o clock at night (later on some occasions). This is nearly a 12 hour day and does not include the marking and planning that they have to do when they go home.

You really shouldn't underestimate the amount of work teachers actually do. If it wasn't for certain teachers we wouldn't be here today on this forum as students wanting to make the best out of our lives. Think about that next time you begin to criticise.

Reply 18

mobb_theprequel

15

Howard

I think they're underworked and overpaid personally. 6 weeks summer vacation. 3 for Christmas (as if that's not enough they even have "shopping days" in some schools, 3 for easter, plus the "occasional days" plus plenty of "sick days" covered by temps etc.

On top of that the working day doesn't start until 9 and is finished by 3:30 with 45 mins for lunch, a couple of 15 min breaks, as well as "free periods"

Bunch of slackers IMO. A good days work would kill most of them. :biggrin:

Not to mention the recent retraction of teachers acting as compulsory exam invigilators! How can you have any sympathy for teachers, when most secondary school teachers will be spending from mid-May until mid-July enriching Kenco and the local pubs - whilst teaching perhaps a couple of lessons a week to lower-schoolers. One of my teachers will have 4/5 days (effectively) off for two months soon from now! And that's before the six-and-a-half week holiday even begins.

These guys also get free laptops, discounted home computers, free stationery, loadsa time off for computer courses, free/heavily discounted tutors for their kids etc. And the future looks bright for teachers! Parents evenings will soon be banned after school hours due to union action; hell, Friday afternoons may soon be banned too!

The only time these guys have it remotely hard is when the OFSTED bods come to bust them down a few pegs.